Suchergebnisse

Over the past decades, governments have taken steps towards improving women's health in line with commitments made in key international summits. Progress has been made in reducing maternal mortality, which accelerated with the launch of the United Nations secretary general's Global Strategy for Women's and Children's Health in 2010. Use of maternal healthcare and family planning has increased in some countries. Progress has also been seen on two determinants of women's health—school enrolment rates for girls and political participation of women—but not for others such as gender based violence. However, societies are still failing women in relation to health, especially in low resource settings. Discrimination on the basis of their sex leads to health disadvantages for women. Structural determinants of women's health, along with legal and policy restrictions, often restrict women's access to health services. This paper elaborates the health problems women face, and priority interventions to overcome them, as a background for and informing the updating of the Global Strategy for Women's, Children's and Adolescents' Health.

Adolescence is a critical stage of life characterised by rapid biological, emotional, and social development. It is during this time that every person develops the capabilities required for a productive, healthy, and satisfying life. In order to make a healthy transition into adulthood, adolescents need to have access to health education, including education on sexuality1; quality health services, including sexual and reproductive; and a supportive environment both at home and in communities and countries. The global community increasingly recognises these vital needs of adolescents, and there is an emerging consensus that investing intensively in adolescents' health and development is not only key to improving their survival and wellbeing but critical for the success of the post-2015 development agenda.2 The suggested inclusion of adolescent health in the United Nations secretary general's Global Strategy for Women's and Children's Health is an expression of this growing awareness and represents an unprecedented opportunity to place adolescents on the political map beyond 2015. Ensuring that every adolescent has the knowledge, skills, and opportunities for a healthy, productive life and enjoyment of all human rights3 is essential for achieving improved health, social justice, gender equality, and other development goals. We argue that the priority in the revised Every Women Every Child Global Strategy needs to be giving adolescents a voice, expanding their choices and control over their bodies, and enabling them to develop the capabilities required for a productive, healthy, and satisfying life. We call for a global, participatory movement to improve the health of the world's adolescents as part of a broader agenda to improve their wellbeing and uphold their rights.

Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) are fundamental to people's health and survival, to economic development, and to the wellbeing of humanity. Several decades of research have shown—and continue to show—the profound and measurable benefits of investment in sexual and reproductive health. Through international agreements, governments have committed to such investment. Yet progress has been stymied because of weak political commitment, inadequate resources, persistent discrimination against women and girls, and an unwillingness to address issues related to sexuality openly and comprehensively.